As previous research has shown users - both firms and individual consumers - play a much more active role in processes of innovation than it had been generally believed.

To date, most studies of user innovation have focused on specific consumer and industrial categories. But cross-industry studies of the phenomenon are needed to build a robust evidence base for policymaking, and to support managerial decision-making.

This report sets out to address this gap in the understanding of the role of users - including individual consumers and business firms – in processes of innovation across a range of sectors and activities. It presents findings from a world-first survey of product innovation by consumers, and from the first cross-industry survey of user process innovation by UK firms.